Pipe and cigarette lighter



July 6, 8- w. J. MILLER, JR

PIPE AND CIGARETTE LIGHTER Filed Feb. 14} 1947 JNVENTOR. v W/zL/AM J.MLLR JR.

Patented July 6, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIPE AND- CIGARETTELIGHTER William J. Miller, Jr., Denver, Colo.

Application February 14, 1947, Serial No. 728,559

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a pocket lighter for smokers.

The usual lighter of the cigarette'variety-is useless to a pipe smoker,due to the fact that it is almost impossible to insert the flame intothe bowl of the pipe.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a neat, compactlighter, which can not only be used for cigarettes and cigars but canalsobe inserted into the bowl of a smoking pipe.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the device that itwill have a highly efficient mechanism for igniting the flame; and anefficient fuel feeding means which will maintain the flame for a maximumtime.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of theinvention, which. is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency.These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is hadto the accompanying drawing which forms a-part hereof. Like numeralsrefer to like parts in .all views of the drawing and throughout thedescription.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved pocket lighter in theclosed position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the lighter in the open or lightedposition;

Fig. 3 is a top view thereof'in the closed position;

Fig. 4 is a top view in the open position;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 55, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a similar sectional view taken on the line 66, Fig. 3, withthe outer case removed;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged: cross section taken on the line |l, Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a similarly enlarged cross-section.

taken on the line 88, Fig. 6; and

Fig. 9 is a still further enlarged detail view of a sparking heademployed on the improved.

lighter.

The improved lighter is mounted in an outer case I'll having two sides,one end, and a bottom. The two sides areturned inwardly along the opentop to form retaining flanges H. A mechanism frame I2. is slid into theopen end of the outer case In beneath the flanges H and is securedtherein by means of two screws. l3.

The outer case I is provided with a fuel reservoir l4 filled with cottonor other suitable absorbent material. The fuel is placed in thereservoir l4 through a filling plug I threaded into the closed end ofthe case H].

nipple l6 projects upwardly from the reservoir i4 and contains anauxiliary wick. H.

A hollow rotatable shaft 18' extends across the" mechanism frame l2 toprovide a pivot for a swinging arm IS. The arm l9"is constantly'urged tothe open position by means of a coil spring 20 and it may be locked inthe closed position by means of a swinging latch 2!. The latch. ispositioned to engage a latch tooth 22 formed on the hinged extremity ofthe arm l9. The'latch- 2| is urged against thev hinged extremity bymeans of a U-shaped spring'23-which is wrapped:

about a latch shaft 24 upon which the latch 2| is'hinged.

A finger button 25 on the lower extremity of the latch 2| allows thelatter to be pushed in-;

wardly so as to swing the upper extremity thereof out of engagement withthe tooth 22 to allow the spring 20 to snap the arm Hi to the openposition. The outward movement of the armis limited by the tooth 22'striking anv abutment 26 in the bottomof the frame 12.

A steelsparki'ng wheel 21 is rotatablymounted on the outer extremity ofa wheelv shaft 28- which extends longitudinally through the arm isterminating adjacent-the shaft l8 i'n atoothed drive pinion 29. Thedrive pinion 29-" meshes with an arcuate series of gear teeth 30 cutinthe wall of the frame 12 concentric with the axis of the hollow shaftl8.

As the arm I9 is swunginwardly andoutwardly, the pinion 29 will rollback and forth along the teeth 30 so asto rotate-the wheel shaft 28 backand-forth. A ratchet disc 31 is fixed on- The sparking.

the extremity of the shaft 28'. wheel- 21 is mounted to freely rotateaboutrthe shaft 28 and is provided with ratchet teeth 3-2 Returnrotation of the sparking wheel 21 is prevented by a sparkingflint 33which is constantly urged against oneface of the wheel from a flint tube34 by means of a compression spring Theface' of the wheel 21 hearingagainstthe flint 33 is knurled" or'roughened to produce ignition sparks:from the flint. These sparks ignite a wick 36 which projectsv from aconical extremity 3! on theen'd" ofa' wi'ck'tube' 38 which forms part ofthe arm IS.

The projecting portion of the wick 36 is in the path of the sparksproduced from the flint A moistening J 33. The wick 36 extends down thewick tube 38 and into the arm i9 thence into the hollow shaft l8, thencethrough a vertical passage 39 in the side of the frame [2 thence throughan opening 40 in the inside end wall of the reservoir I4 so that liquidfuel is conducted by capillary attraction from the reservoir I4 to theprojecting extremity of the wick 36.

Due to the long travel of the fuel through the wick 36 it has been foundadvisableto" provide means to maintain the outer end of the wick 36moistened with fuel. This is accomplished by placing the nipple 16 withits wick H at a point to receive the conical extremity 31 of the wicktube and end of the wick 36 when the arm is closed. Therefore, duringall of the time that the lighter is closed liquid fuel is being fed tothe wick 36 by the auxiliary wick I! so that the former is always moistwith fuel at the instant of ignition.

The device is carried, of course, in the closed position of Fig. 1. Whena light is desired, the user presses the finger button 25 releasing the.latch 2| from the tooth 22. This allows the spring 20 to snap the arm19 to the open position of Fig. 2. The movement to the open positionrapidly rotates the pinion 29 along the teeth 3?). This movement istransmitted through the ratchet disc 31 to the sparking wheel 21 causingthe roughened face thereof to strike sparks from the flint 33. Thesesparksignite the wick 35 so that a flame is provided on' the projectingextremity of the arm 19 as shown in'Fig. 2, which'rnay be convenientlyinserted in'a-pipe bowl.

The device is' returned to the closed position by simply pressing thearm I9 back into the case as shown in Fig. 10. This allows the latch 21to snap beneath the tooth 221to completely close the entire case. i

While a specific form of the improvement has been described andillustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may bevaried, Within the scope of the appended claims, without departing fro-mthe spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired securedby Letters Patent is:

1. A pocket lighter comprising: a case; a fuel.

reservoir in said case; a rotatable arm shaft extending across the case;a swinging arm mounted on said shaft; a spring constantly urging saidarm to the open position; a latch retaining said'arm in the closedposition; a wick extending from said reservoir to the free extremity ofsaid arm; a shaft extending longitudinally of said arm; a sparkingmechanism on theouter extremity of said arm operable by saidshaft; atoothed pinion on the inner extremity of said arm; and stationary teethsupported from said case in the path of said pinion to impart rotationto .said shaft as said arm swings to the open position.

2. A pocket lighter comprising: a case; a fuel reservoir in said case; arotatable arm shaft extending across the case; a swinging arm mounted onsaid shaft; a spring constantly urging said arm to the open position; alatch retaining said arm in the closed position; a wick extending fromsaid reservoir to the free extremity of said arm and means operable bythe movement of said arm for igniting the outer extremity of said wick;and an auxiliary wick positioned to contact andmoisten thefirst wickwhen the arm is in the closed position. v

3. A pocket lighter comprising: a case; a fuel reservoir in said case,one side edge and one end of said case being open; an arm hinged at theextremity of said side edge and arranged to close the latter when swungto the closed position; a pivoted latch closing the open end of saidcase, said latch engaging said arm to maintain the latter in the closedposition; a spring urging said arm to the open position; a wick on theextremity of said. arm; a sparking wheel positioned on said arm adjacentsaid wick; a shaft extending from said sparking wheel into said case;igniting means operable by said wheel; means in said case adapted torotate said shaft as said arm swings to the open position; a toothedpinion on said shaft within said case; stationary gear teeth in saidcase engaging said pinion to rotate the latter during the openingmovement of said arm; and igniting means operable by the rotating ofsaid wheel.

4. A pocket lighter comprising: a case; a fuel reservoir in said case,one side edge and one end of said case being open; an arm hinged at theextremity of said side edge and arranged to close the latter when swungto the closed position; a pivoted latch closing the open end of saidcase, said latch engaging said arm to maintain the latter in the closedposition; a spring urging said arm to the open position; a wick on theextremity of said arm; a sparking wheel positioned on said arm adjacentsaid wick; a shaft extending from said sparking wheel into said case;igniting means operable by said wheel; means in said case adapted torotate said shaft as said arm swings to the open position; a toothedpinion on said shaft within said case; stationary gear teeth in saidcase engaging said pinion to rotate the latter during the openingmovement of said arm; a flint tube in said arm terminating'adjacent saidsparking wheel; a flint in said tube and a spring urging said flintagainst said sparking wheel for ignition purposes.

5. A pocket lighter comprising: a case; a fuel reservoirin said case,one side edge and one end of said case being open; an arm hinged at theextremity of said side edge and arranged to close the latter when swungto the closed position; a pivoted latch closing the open 'end of saidcase, said latch engaging said arm to maintain the latter in the closedposition; a spring urging said arm to'the open position; a Wick on theextremity of said arm; and igniting means on said latter extremityoperable from the opening movement of said arm; said wick extending tosaid reservoir; andan auxiliary wick projecting from said reservoir tothe closed position of said first wick to moisten the latter when saidam is closed.

' WILLIAM J. MILLER, JR.

REFERENCES The following references are'of record in the file of thispatent: V

UNITED STATES PATENTS

